I'm gonna miss this place...

I'm getting a little nostalgic

as I'm closing out my time working at Lugano Restaurant.

I've worked here full/part-time since April 2006.

That's a long time if you ask me.

As excited as I am to be moving on to (hopefully) bigger and better things,

this quaint Italian restaurant will always hold a special place in my heart.

I don't think I'll ever work in another restaurant,

and although I say my excuse is because working nights
and every weekend isn't much fun,

but it is really because no other restaurant could compare to this one.

I'm beginning to realize what I'm going to miss about this place.

The service staff, who have become some of my best friends.

The kitchen staff and all the amazing food they always make me.

My beyond-crazy boss and his hilarious antics.

The regular customers that tip me every time they come in.

(I'm not just going to miss the tips, but the generous people they are.)

The wine dinners and special events hosted at the restaurant.

The spaghetti with Napa cabbage and pancetta.
Over the past five years I've learned more about
food (that I love) and wine (that I don't drink)
then I ever thought possible.
The one thing Steve is going to miss
is me coming home from work every night
smelling like Italian food!

one month from today....

(Photo taken on a family trip to D.C. in 2007)

One month from today

Steve & I will be getting the keys to our apartment in Alexandria, VA.
(The apartment that I still haven't seen...)

We are super excited to start the next chapter of our lives,
but I'd be lying if I said we aren't nervous.

We are nervous to drive across country.
We are nervous to pay a rent that is over twice what we pay now.
(and that's one of the cheapest places we found!)
We are nervous to learn our way around a much bigger city.
We are nervous to find jobs — not only jobs, but good jobs.

It's all we have been talking about lately...
We've been talking about what's going to change when we move,
what's going to stay the same,
trying to predict what life is going to be like in this next chapter of our marriage.

Although we have no idea what is going to happen when we move,
we do know one thing,
and that is that no matter what happens we have each other,
and we have a Heavenly Father that loves us and is looking out for us.

And on days like today,
we have to keep reminding each other of that.

Favorite photo taken on the trip -
I hope these taxi drivers will help me jump my car when
I leave my headlights on. Because I always do.

photo overload

Steve & I have the slowest internet connection at our apartment,

something we are both very excited to say farewell to when we move on April 29th.
So when I'm at my parents house I always want to update my blog
because with faster internet it doesn't take 5 years to download each picture.

This week started out as a rough one, but ended as an absolutely perfect one...
Rough = I've been sick for the last 7 days,
from sinuses to sore throats and neck pains.
Steve had a lot of homework at the beginning of this week.

Perfect = we found an apartment in D.C!
We move in May 7th and couldn't be more excited!
We finalized the pod we are renting for the move.
General Conference is always amazing.
The weather was perfect all weekend
(until we woke up to 5 inches of snow today!)
We have narrowed down the search on a new car.
My niece, Tienna, ate a Twinkie for the first time.
Steve watched a royal wedding special on TLC about William and Kate with me.
The Butler Bulldogs are going to the National Championship again -
Brad Stevens is still Steve's hero

Here's a photo update of the last month,
so many photos I've been lazy about uploading...

Sunday night at the Pollei house with Grandpa Moffat AND Abbie came to town!

Tienna with her "Astrid hair" from How to Train Your Dragon and Brookie doing a puzzle.

We went to the Jazz vs. OKC Thunder basketball game a few weeks ago with Lindsay & Preston


Birthday Dinner for Steve & McKay at my parents house.
McKay got new car mats (practicality runs in the family)
and Steve got a framed Declaration of Independence.
I think in this picture Steve is asking my parents if it's the original &
if they got it from Nicolas Cage,
while McKay fights Grandpa Moffat off his new mats.

Grandpa Moffat is the cutest old man ever. Still feisty in his old age.

Trip to Vegas! Dinner at BJ's Pizza. Most. Amazing. Pizza. Ever.
Eating $2 gelato at our hotel -
This was the best trip with the best friends!
The Price Is Right wheel of slot machines. SOOO big!

After a week of celebrating leading up to his birthday,
it was FINALLY time to celebrate the real day of Steve turning 24!
Steve's favorite dinner,: spaghetti with Napa cabbage, pancetta and cauliflower.